Is this the year that Georgia finally takes down Bama? Or will Florida rise up and take the Dawgs down before they get a chance? And maybe it's not Bama after all but LSU in the SEC West. Can Texas A&M build on Jimbo's great first year? Is Auburn going to improve or is this the last year fro Malzahn? Is Kentucky for real or a one hit band? Is Missouri the team to replace the Cats as the surprise team of the yea? Plenty of plot lines in the SEC this year.
Tua is the leading candidate to be the #1 overall pick next year. Alabama – Vegas Win Total - 11.0 – It’s Bama. There’s no sense talking about who left and who needs replacing. They just reload. The lines will be great, the RBs will be great, the WRs amazing, the defense will be superb. It just goes on. The process works. Deal with it.
All that is left is to see if there are flaws that can be exploited. And there are a couple. QB Tua Tagovailoa is amazing. Somewhere around the GO JUMBO trip, NFL teams will start tanking for Tua. He’s part Brett Farve with Drew Brees accuracy. But if he gets hurt like he did last year, there’s no Jalen Hurts to bail him out. Hurts is off to Oklahoma to see if he can make it three Heismans in a row for the Sooners.
And the pass defense can be exploited by good QBs. Georgia’s Jake Fromm, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence threw for a combined 1,000 passing yards, eight touchdowns and no picks.
Can anyone in the SEC take down Bama? Georgia can. The Iron bowl is off the charts intense so Auburn can if the stars align. Or if a QB plays out of his mind on a Saturday. But two losses and Bama doesn’r make the playoffs? Unlikely unless Tua is out for an extended period. And as my Uber driver pointed out, imagine what Bama is like with a chip on its shoulder after getting pantsed by Clemson. Yikes!
All that is left is to see if there are flaws that can be exploited. And there are a couple. QB Tua Tagovailoa is amazing. Somewhere around the GO JUMBO trip, NFL teams will start tanking for Tua. He’s part Brett Farve with Drew Brees accuracy. But if he gets hurt like he did last year, there’s no Jalen Hurts to bail him out. Hurts is off to Oklahoma to see if he can make it three Heismans in a row for the Sooners.
And the pass defense can be exploited by good QBs. Georgia’s Jake Fromm, Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence threw for a combined 1,000 passing yards, eight touchdowns and no picks.
Can anyone in the SEC take down Bama? Georgia can. The Iron bowl is off the charts intense so Auburn can if the stars align. Or if a QB plays out of his mind on a Saturday. But two losses and Bama doesn’r make the playoffs? Unlikely unless Tua is out for an extended period. And as my Uber driver pointed out, imagine what Bama is like with a chip on its shoulder after getting pantsed by Clemson. Yikes!
De'Jon Harris is one of the few bright spots for the Hog'e defense Arkansas – Vegas Win Total - 6.0 – It’s a dumpster fire in Fayetteville. The Hogs went winless in the SEC and had a couple of embarrassing out of conference losses to North Texas and Colorado State. After the season their starting QB transferred to Western Kentucky and leading WR left for Iowa State.
In response, HC Chad Morris went and got his QB from his SMU days, Ben Hicks. He knows the system. But the remaining WRs are not SEC type talents. Though the RBs are adequate the OL was a sieve last year and only two starters return. The offense is going to stumble again this year.
On defense the run defense struggled, there weren’t enough stops, there weren’t enough takeaways, and the pass defense was lost. Other than that, everything was fine. The teams leading tackler (and 3rd in the SEC) De’Jon Harris returns as MLB and the DL returns a couple of good players so there is something to build around. But the secondary is young and will let up a ton of scores.
In order for the Razorbacks to go bowling they will need to win all their non-conference games (possible, its cupcake city) and win a couple SEC games. Ain’t happening.
In response, HC Chad Morris went and got his QB from his SMU days, Ben Hicks. He knows the system. But the remaining WRs are not SEC type talents. Though the RBs are adequate the OL was a sieve last year and only two starters return. The offense is going to stumble again this year.
On defense the run defense struggled, there weren’t enough stops, there weren’t enough takeaways, and the pass defense was lost. Other than that, everything was fine. The teams leading tackler (and 3rd in the SEC) De’Jon Harris returns as MLB and the DL returns a couple of good players so there is something to build around. But the secondary is young and will let up a ton of scores.
In order for the Razorbacks to go bowling they will need to win all their non-conference games (possible, its cupcake city) and win a couple SEC games. Ain’t happening.
Auburn's defense got a huge boost when Derrick Brown decided to return Auburn – Vegas Win Total - 8.0 – It was ugly on the Plains last year. A preseason top ten team went 8-5 and boosters started lining up to pay out Malzahn’s contract. He survived but the heat is on.
QB Jason Stidham bolted for the NFL to become Tom Brady’s backup. Stidham’s backup transferred to Liberty, leaving Malzahn the biggest decision of his career. Does he go with redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood who has all the physical attributes Malzahn likes, or true freshman, 5 star super recruit Bo Nix?
Either choice will play behind an experienced OL that returns five starters. It didn’t do nearly enough for the running game but was okay in pass protection. It will be better but nothing special.
The run game struggled far too much last year. For the first time in a decade it didn’t have a 1,000 yard runner and failed to hit 100 yards four times. The returning RBs will do better behind a more experienced line but will not be the dangerous attack of Auburn past.
The Tigers lose their top two receivers but returning WRs Anthony Schwartz (seven TDs) and Seth Williams (five touchdowns) were nice surprises as true freshmen last season.
Auburn will have an embarrassment of riches on the DL. DTs Derrick Brown and Marlon Brown decided to skip the NFL and return for another year. Brown should be a lock for All-America honors. Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant are also next-level talents working somewhere on the line – mostly on the outside and 310-pound junior DT Tyrone Truesdall is in the rotation too.
The pass defense upheld its end and gets four starters back in a five-man secondary, The safety duo of Jeremiah Dinson and Daniel Thomas are the team’s two leading returning tacklers and among the best in the SEC. The LBs are a concern though. All are being replaced this year.
It comes down to whether Malzahn can get production out of his QB. He decided to be his own OC this year. He’ll need production almost immediately as the schedule is a murders row starting with Oregon (neutral site). The schedule also has Florida (away), LSU (away) and Texas A&M (away). They also get Georgia (home) and Bama (home), all are top 15 preseason teams.
The defense is good enough but the offense is going to start out slow. It looks like Auburn is going to end up being the best 8 win team in the country.
QB Jason Stidham bolted for the NFL to become Tom Brady’s backup. Stidham’s backup transferred to Liberty, leaving Malzahn the biggest decision of his career. Does he go with redshirt freshman Joey Gatewood who has all the physical attributes Malzahn likes, or true freshman, 5 star super recruit Bo Nix?
Either choice will play behind an experienced OL that returns five starters. It didn’t do nearly enough for the running game but was okay in pass protection. It will be better but nothing special.
The run game struggled far too much last year. For the first time in a decade it didn’t have a 1,000 yard runner and failed to hit 100 yards four times. The returning RBs will do better behind a more experienced line but will not be the dangerous attack of Auburn past.
The Tigers lose their top two receivers but returning WRs Anthony Schwartz (seven TDs) and Seth Williams (five touchdowns) were nice surprises as true freshmen last season.
Auburn will have an embarrassment of riches on the DL. DTs Derrick Brown and Marlon Brown decided to skip the NFL and return for another year. Brown should be a lock for All-America honors. Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant are also next-level talents working somewhere on the line – mostly on the outside and 310-pound junior DT Tyrone Truesdall is in the rotation too.
The pass defense upheld its end and gets four starters back in a five-man secondary, The safety duo of Jeremiah Dinson and Daniel Thomas are the team’s two leading returning tacklers and among the best in the SEC. The LBs are a concern though. All are being replaced this year.
It comes down to whether Malzahn can get production out of his QB. He decided to be his own OC this year. He’ll need production almost immediately as the schedule is a murders row starting with Oregon (neutral site). The schedule also has Florida (away), LSU (away) and Texas A&M (away). They also get Georgia (home) and Bama (home), all are top 15 preseason teams.
The defense is good enough but the offense is going to start out slow. It looks like Auburn is going to end up being the best 8 win team in the country.
CB C.J. Henderson is a likely first round pick Florida – Vegas Win Total - 9.0 – That was fun! Florida went from 4 wins to 10, becoming only the third Power 5 team to go from less than 5 wins to 10 in a single season (Stanford 1940 and Auburn 2013). But getting from 10 wins to 11 wins is a a massive step.
QB Feleipe Franks improvement was a key reason for the dramatic turnaround. A season after throwing only 9TDs and 8 picks, he blossomed with 24 TDs vs 6 picks, none over the last five games. But this year, he’ll play behind an OL that replaces 4 starters with a combined 141 starts. The early departure of OT Jawaan Taylor (#35 to Jacksonville) was a big blow.
The offensive backfield is solid. Lamical Perine is back after leading the team with 826 yards and seven scores plus there are some quick sophomores in Malik Davis and Dameon Pierce.
The WRs will have to figure things out quickly. They are young but talented. Leading WR La’Michael Pitteway left for Iowa State but four of the next 5 top producers are back including Sr TE Cheyenne O’Grady.
Last year’s defense experienced some growing pains but by season's end they were swarming opponents from all angles. In wins against FSU and scUM, Florida forced five turnovers, notched 10 sacks and held the two teams to 7-of-30 on third down. Now they return 13 of their top 17 tacklers.
The secondary should be among the best in the country with CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson at CB. Henderson will be a first day pick next April. The pass rush will be a killer with the return of another 1st talent DE Jabari Zaniga. Louisville transfer Jonathan Greenard will dominate on the other side.
The LBs are a weakness and need to develop some depth but overall the defense should keep on rocking.
It all comes down to the Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Win (finally) against Georgia and the Gators will be playing Bama for a playoff spot. Lose it and your likely looking at a 2-3 loss season with a testy Miami (FL) to start the season, a home game vs Auburn and a game in Baton Rouge. With the turnover on the OL 3 losses is more likely than a SEC championship spot.
QB Feleipe Franks improvement was a key reason for the dramatic turnaround. A season after throwing only 9TDs and 8 picks, he blossomed with 24 TDs vs 6 picks, none over the last five games. But this year, he’ll play behind an OL that replaces 4 starters with a combined 141 starts. The early departure of OT Jawaan Taylor (#35 to Jacksonville) was a big blow.
The offensive backfield is solid. Lamical Perine is back after leading the team with 826 yards and seven scores plus there are some quick sophomores in Malik Davis and Dameon Pierce.
The WRs will have to figure things out quickly. They are young but talented. Leading WR La’Michael Pitteway left for Iowa State but four of the next 5 top producers are back including Sr TE Cheyenne O’Grady.
Last year’s defense experienced some growing pains but by season's end they were swarming opponents from all angles. In wins against FSU and scUM, Florida forced five turnovers, notched 10 sacks and held the two teams to 7-of-30 on third down. Now they return 13 of their top 17 tacklers.
The secondary should be among the best in the country with CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson at CB. Henderson will be a first day pick next April. The pass rush will be a killer with the return of another 1st talent DE Jabari Zaniga. Louisville transfer Jonathan Greenard will dominate on the other side.
The LBs are a weakness and need to develop some depth but overall the defense should keep on rocking.
It all comes down to the Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Win (finally) against Georgia and the Gators will be playing Bama for a playoff spot. Lose it and your likely looking at a 2-3 loss season with a testy Miami (FL) to start the season, a home game vs Auburn and a game in Baton Rouge. With the turnover on the OL 3 losses is more likely than a SEC championship spot.
D'Andre Smith is the latest in the long list of great Dawg running backs Georgia – Vegas Win Total - 11.0 – Is this the year? Can Georgia finally get by Bama and win the national title? With four double-digit win seasons in the last five, Georgia has established itself as one of the current superpowers. Kirby Smart has taken things to whole ‘nother level over the last few seasons – and now the bar is set higher.
It’s QB Jake Fromm’s position now. There’s no Justin Field or Jacob Eason looming in the background. Fromm is the star and rising in the draft rankings. He’ll likely go in the top 10 as the third overall QB taken. This is the year he needs to take the next step to become truly elite.
He’ll have to start by making his WRs look better. The Dawgs lost their top 3 pass catchers and the likely next WR up, Jeremiah Hollman was dismissed from the team.
No need to worry about the running game though. D’Andre Smith is the next in the long list of illustrious Georgia RBs. He’ll in the hunt for the Heisman and should pass last years production of 1,049 yards and 10 TDs now that he doesn’t need to share the rock with Elijah Holyfield.
The OL is outstanding. 4 starters return and is anchored by bookend tackles that will be playing on Sundays. Andrew Thomas is being mocked as the #3 overall pick.
Last year’s defense quietly finished 2nd overall in the SEC. Four of the top five top tacklers return but there are holes to fill. All star CB Deandre Baker is gone but the secondary should be fine. Safety JR Reed returns and with Richard LeCounte will form one of the best safety combos in the nation.
The DL needs to step up the pass rush. Georgia finished dead last in the SEC in sacks and TFLs. LB Channing Tindall is the returning leader in sacks with…2.0. Plenty of room for improvement. Top JUCO recruit edge rusher Jermaine Johnson was brought in to help. The rest of the LBs are a work in progress.
The rush defense should be solid. All three in the 3-4 defense are 300+ pounds including a vending machine in 6’6” 330 Jordan Thomas.
So close in 2017, expectations are through the roof this year. After stacking back to back top 3 recruiting classes the talent is there. There are some tricky games on the slate. Notre Dame comes to play between the hedges, as does Texas A&M. And traveling to Auburn will be no picnic but the season will come down to Nov 2nd in Jacksonville. Beat Florida and its then that chance to finally knock of Bama and be the #1 seed in the playoffs.
It’s QB Jake Fromm’s position now. There’s no Justin Field or Jacob Eason looming in the background. Fromm is the star and rising in the draft rankings. He’ll likely go in the top 10 as the third overall QB taken. This is the year he needs to take the next step to become truly elite.
He’ll have to start by making his WRs look better. The Dawgs lost their top 3 pass catchers and the likely next WR up, Jeremiah Hollman was dismissed from the team.
No need to worry about the running game though. D’Andre Smith is the next in the long list of illustrious Georgia RBs. He’ll in the hunt for the Heisman and should pass last years production of 1,049 yards and 10 TDs now that he doesn’t need to share the rock with Elijah Holyfield.
The OL is outstanding. 4 starters return and is anchored by bookend tackles that will be playing on Sundays. Andrew Thomas is being mocked as the #3 overall pick.
Last year’s defense quietly finished 2nd overall in the SEC. Four of the top five top tacklers return but there are holes to fill. All star CB Deandre Baker is gone but the secondary should be fine. Safety JR Reed returns and with Richard LeCounte will form one of the best safety combos in the nation.
The DL needs to step up the pass rush. Georgia finished dead last in the SEC in sacks and TFLs. LB Channing Tindall is the returning leader in sacks with…2.0. Plenty of room for improvement. Top JUCO recruit edge rusher Jermaine Johnson was brought in to help. The rest of the LBs are a work in progress.
The rush defense should be solid. All three in the 3-4 defense are 300+ pounds including a vending machine in 6’6” 330 Jordan Thomas.
So close in 2017, expectations are through the roof this year. After stacking back to back top 3 recruiting classes the talent is there. There are some tricky games on the slate. Notre Dame comes to play between the hedges, as does Texas A&M. And traveling to Auburn will be no picnic but the season will come down to Nov 2nd in Jacksonville. Beat Florida and its then that chance to finally knock of Bama and be the #1 seed in the playoffs.
QB Terry Wilson will need to be more than a running threat this year Kentucky – Vegas Win Total - 6.0 – OK, Kentucky do that again. 10 wins, Citrus bowl champs, it was the best year in Lexington since 1940.
But repeating is going to be a tall order. Gone are the least best defensive player in college ball, Josh Allen and all time rushing leader Benny Snell. 12 other starters are gone too.
Last years offensive game plan was simple. Pound away with Snell. And when teams loaded the box....just keep pounding away with Snell. Kentucky was 9-0 when the team rushed for 100 yards, 1-3 when they didn’t hit the mark. Now that Snell is off to be Le’Veon Bell’s replacement, Kentucky will rely on RB by committee. 3-4 players will slit the duties. The best of the bunch is AJ Rose who averaged 6.2 yards in spelling Snell.
QB Terry Wilson was the team’s second leading rusher and will need to lead a more balanced attack. The Wildcats were last in the SEC on passing. He won’t get much help from his WRs that lack consistent playmakers outside of do-everything slot receiver and return man Lynn Bowden Jr.
The OL needs to replace All American OG Bunchy Stallings. But it will be solid with the return of former 5 star recruit OT Landon Young, who missed all of 2018 with a knee injury.
Kentucky must also replace seven defensive starters, including 4 of their top 5 tacklers, and their entire secondary from one of the best defenses in program history. It will be up to LB Boogie Watson to fill Josh Allen’s shoes. He’s nowhere near Allen but he is the team’s leading returning pass rusher. Kash Daniel will man the ILB spot and is the leading tackler coming up with 84 stops.
Replacing the entire secondary may not be such a bad thing. Last year, Kentucky was came up with only 9 picks.
Kentucky is no longer a free space in the SEC schedule but replacing all that talent is too much to ask. The non conference slate is easy enough and they don’t face Bama, LSU, Texas A&M or Auburn from the West. Kentucky will make a bowl game, just nothing fancy.
But repeating is going to be a tall order. Gone are the least best defensive player in college ball, Josh Allen and all time rushing leader Benny Snell. 12 other starters are gone too.
Last years offensive game plan was simple. Pound away with Snell. And when teams loaded the box....just keep pounding away with Snell. Kentucky was 9-0 when the team rushed for 100 yards, 1-3 when they didn’t hit the mark. Now that Snell is off to be Le’Veon Bell’s replacement, Kentucky will rely on RB by committee. 3-4 players will slit the duties. The best of the bunch is AJ Rose who averaged 6.2 yards in spelling Snell.
QB Terry Wilson was the team’s second leading rusher and will need to lead a more balanced attack. The Wildcats were last in the SEC on passing. He won’t get much help from his WRs that lack consistent playmakers outside of do-everything slot receiver and return man Lynn Bowden Jr.
The OL needs to replace All American OG Bunchy Stallings. But it will be solid with the return of former 5 star recruit OT Landon Young, who missed all of 2018 with a knee injury.
Kentucky must also replace seven defensive starters, including 4 of their top 5 tacklers, and their entire secondary from one of the best defenses in program history. It will be up to LB Boogie Watson to fill Josh Allen’s shoes. He’s nowhere near Allen but he is the team’s leading returning pass rusher. Kash Daniel will man the ILB spot and is the leading tackler coming up with 84 stops.
Replacing the entire secondary may not be such a bad thing. Last year, Kentucky was came up with only 9 picks.
Kentucky is no longer a free space in the SEC schedule but replacing all that talent is too much to ask. The non conference slate is easy enough and they don’t face Bama, LSU, Texas A&M or Auburn from the West. Kentucky will make a bowl game, just nothing fancy.
Justin Jefferson should have a big year with the new LSU passing attack LSU – Vegas Win Total - 9.0 – A year ago, HC Ed Orgeron was on everyone’s hot seat list. 10 wins later and #6 final ranking, he’s safe – only to have the expectations go up. The LSU Tigers return seven starters on offense, eight on defense and landed a top-five recruiting class. But it may be the new OC assistant who makes the biggest impact.
Orgeron hired Joe Brady away from the New Orleans Saints to serve as LSU’s passing game coordinator. Brady's tasks involve incorporating the run pass options as well as the Saints' passing game concepts into LSU's playbook. Senior quarterback Joe Burrow is on board with the transition to the RPO, he learned it at Ohio State transfer before transferring to LSU two years ago. Burrow, threw for 2,894 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2018 and ran for another 399 yards and seven scores. Expect those numbers to increase under the new offense.
Last year’s leading rusher Nick Brossette is gone. Veteran Clyde Edwards-Helarie will pick up the pieces after rushing 658 yards and seven scores. Expect superstar recruit John Emery to be in the rotation early on too. The OL struggled last year giving up the second most sacks in the SEC. It’s a veteran line with 4 starters returning and should improve.
The six top receivers are back. Justin Jefferson, last year's leading WR is a next level talent. The second leading receiver was TE Stephen He’s a good deep threat tight end who can hit.
On defense eight starters and seven of the top nine tacklers are back to overcome but two of those starters were 1st round pick Butkus winner LB Devin White and 2nd round pick CB Greedy Williams. He's no White but LSU's top returning tackler Jacob Phillips, with 87 stops, will solidify the rush defense. The DL is loaded and the Tigers also welcome back the best safety in college football in junior Grant Delpit. The secondary will be fine too.
If LSU is to make the playoffs it will need to run the table. We will know how the offense is shaping up by week 2 when the Tigers travel to Texas. All but one of the key games are in Baton Rouge, Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M. It’s that away game that could decide the season. In Tuscaloosa on Nov 9th. A ten win season is definitely feasible but the playoffs? Likely, a step too far.
Orgeron hired Joe Brady away from the New Orleans Saints to serve as LSU’s passing game coordinator. Brady's tasks involve incorporating the run pass options as well as the Saints' passing game concepts into LSU's playbook. Senior quarterback Joe Burrow is on board with the transition to the RPO, he learned it at Ohio State transfer before transferring to LSU two years ago. Burrow, threw for 2,894 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2018 and ran for another 399 yards and seven scores. Expect those numbers to increase under the new offense.
Last year’s leading rusher Nick Brossette is gone. Veteran Clyde Edwards-Helarie will pick up the pieces after rushing 658 yards and seven scores. Expect superstar recruit John Emery to be in the rotation early on too. The OL struggled last year giving up the second most sacks in the SEC. It’s a veteran line with 4 starters returning and should improve.
The six top receivers are back. Justin Jefferson, last year's leading WR is a next level talent. The second leading receiver was TE Stephen He’s a good deep threat tight end who can hit.
On defense eight starters and seven of the top nine tacklers are back to overcome but two of those starters were 1st round pick Butkus winner LB Devin White and 2nd round pick CB Greedy Williams. He's no White but LSU's top returning tackler Jacob Phillips, with 87 stops, will solidify the rush defense. The DL is loaded and the Tigers also welcome back the best safety in college football in junior Grant Delpit. The secondary will be fine too.
If LSU is to make the playoffs it will need to run the table. We will know how the offense is shaping up by week 2 when the Tigers travel to Texas. All but one of the key games are in Baton Rouge, Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M. It’s that away game that could decide the season. In Tuscaloosa on Nov 9th. A ten win season is definitely feasible but the playoffs? Likely, a step too far.
Kelly Bryant will be wearing a different Tiger uniform this year Missouri – Vegas Win Total - 6.5 – With Drew Lock at the helm, the Mizzou attack had a high powered attack that finished 13th in the nation averaged 482 yards and 37 points per game. But even with Lock off to the Broncos it could be even better. QB Kelly Bryant transferred in from Clemson. His primary flaw is he is not Trevor Lawrence. Bryant knows a little all about succeeding first-round QBs — he guided those other Tigers to the College Football Playoff in their first year without Deshaun Watson.
The WRs stars are there to work with, starting with, the tight end ranked highest on next year’s draft board, Albert Okwuegbunam. Senior Jonathan Johnson is back after leading the team in receptions. In all, five of the top seven receivers are back after going with a bit of a youth movement last season.
RB Larry Rountree III had a 2018 breakout season. He rushed for 1,216 yards as a sophomore, starting slowly and exploding late. He might have been the best back in the SEC at the end of the year.
Three of last year’s starting linemen return, led by all-conference guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms. Mizzou had had fewest sacks and tackles for loss allowed, all while pounding away for 202 rushing yards per game.
Six starters and five of the seven tacklers are back from a defense that finished tenth in the SEC. The run defense was solid (22nd in the nation), but the pass rush and the plays behind the line weren’t there. Missouri ranked 108th in the country in sack rate. Leading tackler Cale Garrett is back in the middle of the linebacking corps after making 112 stops.
Because the pass rush was lacking, it’s hard to know what to think of the secondary. That the Tigers ranked 31st in completion rate allowed (55.7 percent) Impressive considering how much time opposing quarterbacks had. CBs Christian Holmes, DeMarkus Acy and Adam Sparks all return, as do four veteran safeties.
Missouri isn’t allowed to go bowling or play in the SEC Championship, all because of a rogue tutor. They may give up on the season before it even starts or it could adopt a ‘tude and play with like they are finally taking on the bully in the playground.
The schedule is incredibly favorable. There’s an away game in Athens and a home games against Florida and Texas A&M but that’s about it. The out of conference schedule is way too soft. Mizzou will win 8-9 games yet stay home during bowl season.
The WRs stars are there to work with, starting with, the tight end ranked highest on next year’s draft board, Albert Okwuegbunam. Senior Jonathan Johnson is back after leading the team in receptions. In all, five of the top seven receivers are back after going with a bit of a youth movement last season.
RB Larry Rountree III had a 2018 breakout season. He rushed for 1,216 yards as a sophomore, starting slowly and exploding late. He might have been the best back in the SEC at the end of the year.
Three of last year’s starting linemen return, led by all-conference guard Tre’Vour Wallace-Simms. Mizzou had had fewest sacks and tackles for loss allowed, all while pounding away for 202 rushing yards per game.
Six starters and five of the seven tacklers are back from a defense that finished tenth in the SEC. The run defense was solid (22nd in the nation), but the pass rush and the plays behind the line weren’t there. Missouri ranked 108th in the country in sack rate. Leading tackler Cale Garrett is back in the middle of the linebacking corps after making 112 stops.
Because the pass rush was lacking, it’s hard to know what to think of the secondary. That the Tigers ranked 31st in completion rate allowed (55.7 percent) Impressive considering how much time opposing quarterbacks had. CBs Christian Holmes, DeMarkus Acy and Adam Sparks all return, as do four veteran safeties.
Missouri isn’t allowed to go bowling or play in the SEC Championship, all because of a rogue tutor. They may give up on the season before it even starts or it could adopt a ‘tude and play with like they are finally taking on the bully in the playground.
The schedule is incredibly favorable. There’s an away game in Athens and a home games against Florida and Texas A&M but that’s about it. The out of conference schedule is way too soft. Mizzou will win 8-9 games yet stay home during bowl season.
The Rebel RPO offense has the R covered with Scottie Phillips but that's about it Mississippi – Vegas Win Total - 5.0 –Well, guess who’s the new OC at Ole Miss. You got it. Good ol’ Rich Rod. He try to install his offense one more time. Should be interesting since Soph QB Matt Corral is not much of a runner. And the RPO attack won’t have much P with the WR losing DK Metcalf, AJ Brown and DaMarkus Lodge to the NFL.
The R option should be fine with Scottie Phillips. He’ll get 1,000 yards easily if he stays healthy. But finding holes will be a bit of a problem with a line that needs to replace all but two starters.
The Rebels couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t generate a pass rush, couldn’t stop anyone from throwing, and finished with the worst defense in the SEC last year. Maybe Rich Rod was coaching the defense last year too. There’s hope for improvement. Nine starters return, but there’s no playmakers to worry opposing OCs.
Leading tackler Mohamed Sanoga returns at MLB along with Willie Hibbler so the linebacking will be fine. But DL need to ramp up the pressure after only 22 sacks last year.
The secondary is experienced but also needs to up the production. The Rebels had only 7 picks last year.
The NCAA sanctions have caught up with Mississippi. The talent and depth just aren’t there. The Rebels will not be going bowling due to their record this year, not because of the NCAA.
The R option should be fine with Scottie Phillips. He’ll get 1,000 yards easily if he stays healthy. But finding holes will be a bit of a problem with a line that needs to replace all but two starters.
The Rebels couldn’t stop the run, couldn’t generate a pass rush, couldn’t stop anyone from throwing, and finished with the worst defense in the SEC last year. Maybe Rich Rod was coaching the defense last year too. There’s hope for improvement. Nine starters return, but there’s no playmakers to worry opposing OCs.
Leading tackler Mohamed Sanoga returns at MLB along with Willie Hibbler so the linebacking will be fine. But DL need to ramp up the pressure after only 22 sacks last year.
The secondary is experienced but also needs to up the production. The Rebels had only 7 picks last year.
The NCAA sanctions have caught up with Mississippi. The talent and depth just aren’t there. The Rebels will not be going bowling due to their record this year, not because of the NCAA.
Erroll Thompson leads one of the best LB units in the SEC Mississippi State – Vegas Win Total - 8.5 – It was a pretty good start for first year HC Joe Moorhead. He went 8-5 last year with the four SEC losses to Kentucky, Florida, LSU and Bama. Combined, those teams went 44-10, winning 3 of 4 New Year day Bowl games.
The QB situation is in flux. Nick Fitzgerald is now with the Bucs. Junior Keytaon Thompson was the heir apparent. But then Tommy Stevens decided to play transfer from Penn State to play with his old OC. The battle is continuing.
The running game was nice, it finished second in the SEC The OL did a great job of keeping defenses out of the backfield. Three starters are back so it should keep on humming.The RBs will be able to carry the load. Kylin Hill averaged over six yards per carry with 734 yards.
WR is a question mark. No one had 500 yards last year and none were in the top 30 in yards in the SEC.
Who led the SEC in total defense, run defense, scoring defense, sacks, tackles for loss, pass defense, and takeaways? Not Bama, it was the cowbells. The DL is what made Mississippi State really shine on D. This year, it might be the team's biggest question mark. The Bulldogs led the country in yards per play allowed thanks to a pair of elite defensive linemen and a pair of all-conference deep safeties. They are all gone, as well as two other defensive line starters They're being replaced by a quartet of players who hardly have any collegiate starts under their belts.
All the LBs return though. Led by preseason All SEC LB Erroll Thompson, the Mississippi State linebacking unit could be one of the best position groups in the SEC.
There are huge holes to fill in the secondary after losing 1st round pick Jonathan Abram and losing teammate Mark McLaurin hurts too. CB Cameron Dantzler has the potential to be All-SEC after 43 tackles with two picks and nine broken up passes. But the pass defense will regress.
There are just too many pieces to replace, and with the QB situation still in flux it will be tough for Mississippi State to improve on last years record. They’ll make a bowl but it won’t be pretty.
The QB situation is in flux. Nick Fitzgerald is now with the Bucs. Junior Keytaon Thompson was the heir apparent. But then Tommy Stevens decided to play transfer from Penn State to play with his old OC. The battle is continuing.
The running game was nice, it finished second in the SEC The OL did a great job of keeping defenses out of the backfield. Three starters are back so it should keep on humming.The RBs will be able to carry the load. Kylin Hill averaged over six yards per carry with 734 yards.
WR is a question mark. No one had 500 yards last year and none were in the top 30 in yards in the SEC.
Who led the SEC in total defense, run defense, scoring defense, sacks, tackles for loss, pass defense, and takeaways? Not Bama, it was the cowbells. The DL is what made Mississippi State really shine on D. This year, it might be the team's biggest question mark. The Bulldogs led the country in yards per play allowed thanks to a pair of elite defensive linemen and a pair of all-conference deep safeties. They are all gone, as well as two other defensive line starters They're being replaced by a quartet of players who hardly have any collegiate starts under their belts.
All the LBs return though. Led by preseason All SEC LB Erroll Thompson, the Mississippi State linebacking unit could be one of the best position groups in the SEC.
There are huge holes to fill in the secondary after losing 1st round pick Jonathan Abram and losing teammate Mark McLaurin hurts too. CB Cameron Dantzler has the potential to be All-SEC after 43 tackles with two picks and nine broken up passes. But the pass defense will regress.
There are just too many pieces to replace, and with the QB situation still in flux it will be tough for Mississippi State to improve on last years record. They’ll make a bowl but it won’t be pretty.
Jake Bentley is good...just not good enough South Carolina – Vegas Win Total - 6.0 – It’s tough to be good when you are stuck between Georgia and Clemson at their peaks. Such is the dilemma facing South Carolina. The Gamecocks are epitomized by their quarterback Jake Bentley. Good, just not good enough. Bentley torched Clemson last year for 510 yards and 5 TDs yet still lost. His 1–10 career record against ranked teams says it all.
He’s back for one more year but missing 2nd round draft pick WR Deebo Samuel. The WR position will be trying to find it’s next breakout star (likely Bryan Edwards) while Bentley tries to tone down his 14 picks from last year.
Running back is even less proven. The Gamecocks haven't finished higher than 12th in the SEC in rushing in Muschamp’s three seasons. Ty'Son Williams who tied for the team lead in rushing TDs last year, transferred to BYU after the season.
The OL is returns three starters but needs to establish more consistency in the ground game. They went 4-0 when running for 200 yards or more, 3-6 when under two spins.
The defense got pressure but surprisingly few resulted in turnovers. South Carolina registered 26 sacks, 80 TFLs and yet only 6 picks. The DL returns 23 of the 26 sacks. It will be fine.
The secondary loses CB Rashad Fenton who had three of the teams six picks. The secondary will improve. The pressure up front will pay off.
The LBs will be solid with the return of leading tackler TJ Brunson. The rest are experienced veterans
The schedule is just too tough for the Gamecocks to have a breakout season. They host Bama, Kentucky, Florida and Clemson while travelling to Mizzou, Georgia and Texas A&M. Two wins from that slate would about all that can be expected. The Cocks will make a bowl but not much more.
He’s back for one more year but missing 2nd round draft pick WR Deebo Samuel. The WR position will be trying to find it’s next breakout star (likely Bryan Edwards) while Bentley tries to tone down his 14 picks from last year.
Running back is even less proven. The Gamecocks haven't finished higher than 12th in the SEC in rushing in Muschamp’s three seasons. Ty'Son Williams who tied for the team lead in rushing TDs last year, transferred to BYU after the season.
The OL is returns three starters but needs to establish more consistency in the ground game. They went 4-0 when running for 200 yards or more, 3-6 when under two spins.
The defense got pressure but surprisingly few resulted in turnovers. South Carolina registered 26 sacks, 80 TFLs and yet only 6 picks. The DL returns 23 of the 26 sacks. It will be fine.
The secondary loses CB Rashad Fenton who had three of the teams six picks. The secondary will improve. The pressure up front will pay off.
The LBs will be solid with the return of leading tackler TJ Brunson. The rest are experienced veterans
The schedule is just too tough for the Gamecocks to have a breakout season. They host Bama, Kentucky, Florida and Clemson while travelling to Mizzou, Georgia and Texas A&M. Two wins from that slate would about all that can be expected. The Cocks will make a bowl but not much more.
If Trey Smith returns, the Vols OL could be a strength Tennessee – Vegas Win Total - 6.5 – Tennesse is one of those nightmare teams for bettors. It can upset ranked Auburn and Kentucky yet lose to teams like Vandy and and bowless Mizzou. The offense was a nightmare finishing last in the SEC in passing efficiency and rushing yards and total yards. Scoring was inconsistent scoring more than 24 points only once against Div 1A teams
However, just about everyone is back. And there is a new OC, Jim Chaney from UGA too get things right. His first task is to get consistency out of Jr QB Jarrett Guarantano. He hit only 62% of his passes yet made few mistakes with only three picks. He better stay healthy though, no other QBs on the roster have taken a college football snap.
Chaney’s next priority is to strengthen the OL. Too often Guarantano was running for his life. The OL could be a strength if OT Trey Smith returns to the field. He’s an NFL caliber player but he’s fighting health issues (blot clots in the lungs) that make 2019 a question mark. Without him there is some size and talent, but the run game could be a problem again.
It will be WRs by committee. There’s depth but no one had reached 600 yards last year. The RBs will rotate the tandem of Ty Chandler averaged (630 yards) and Tim Jordan (533 yards).
While the offensive line is the Vols' greatest area of focus, the defensive line has suffered the most turnover. The Vols need to replace four starters who accounted for 150 tackles, nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss. The hope is to get production from top-ranked junior college defensive tackle Savion Williams,
The Vols will transition to a 3-4 with the depth at linebacker. The secondary is could be the Vols' strongest unit. Sophomore CB Bryce Thompson earned Freshman All-America honors in 2018 They also return starters Alontae Taylor, Baylen Buchanan and Nigel Warrior.
The Vols could be 4-0 in non-conference games, and getting 2 wins in the SEC with games against Vandy, rebuilding Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina is feasible. Of course, the Vols could easily lose to a BYU and beat a ranked team too. Maddening.
However, just about everyone is back. And there is a new OC, Jim Chaney from UGA too get things right. His first task is to get consistency out of Jr QB Jarrett Guarantano. He hit only 62% of his passes yet made few mistakes with only three picks. He better stay healthy though, no other QBs on the roster have taken a college football snap.
Chaney’s next priority is to strengthen the OL. Too often Guarantano was running for his life. The OL could be a strength if OT Trey Smith returns to the field. He’s an NFL caliber player but he’s fighting health issues (blot clots in the lungs) that make 2019 a question mark. Without him there is some size and talent, but the run game could be a problem again.
It will be WRs by committee. There’s depth but no one had reached 600 yards last year. The RBs will rotate the tandem of Ty Chandler averaged (630 yards) and Tim Jordan (533 yards).
While the offensive line is the Vols' greatest area of focus, the defensive line has suffered the most turnover. The Vols need to replace four starters who accounted for 150 tackles, nine sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss. The hope is to get production from top-ranked junior college defensive tackle Savion Williams,
The Vols will transition to a 3-4 with the depth at linebacker. The secondary is could be the Vols' strongest unit. Sophomore CB Bryce Thompson earned Freshman All-America honors in 2018 They also return starters Alontae Taylor, Baylen Buchanan and Nigel Warrior.
The Vols could be 4-0 in non-conference games, and getting 2 wins in the SEC with games against Vandy, rebuilding Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina is feasible. Of course, the Vols could easily lose to a BYU and beat a ranked team too. Maddening.
A&M will rely on Kellen Mond even more this year Texas A&M – Vegas Win Total - 7.5 – It was what Aggie fans were hoping for. In Jimbo’s first year there were, nine victories, finally beating LSU, finishing second in the SEC West and stopping a three year bowl game losing streak. Now the bar gets set higher.
The offense was fantastic finishing 15th overall in yards and 19th in scoring. But, don’t forget that there was 74 points came in the win up all night overtime win over LSU. The O failed to get to 27 points in seven games losing four of them.
QB Kellen Mond has the capability of being next level good. But a 57% completion rate is a concern. The WRs are big with a bigger upside. In all, the top six WRs return. But, All-American Jace Sternberger's departure to the NFL leaves a huge void at tight end.
There’s a void in the running game too with All-SEC running back Trayveon Williams off to play with Cincinnati. Mond will help fill the void, he was second in rushing and sophomore Joshuan Corbin will get a chance to shine.
The OL was superb in opening holes for the run game but was a bit leaky in pass protection giving up a whopping 35 sacks. Four starters return so things should get better.
It was a similar story with the DL. It was amazing in rush defense (3rd overall in the country) but 12th in the SEC in pass defense. But there’s a lot of new faces this year. The top six tacklers, along with the vast majority of the sack production, has to be replaced.
The LBs lost their top two tacklers and the recruiting and depth is not up to speed with the rest of the defense.Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, (5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss) is the only full-time returning starter among the front seven. But there is plenty of quality depth returning from last year. The drop off shouldn’t be that severe.
The secondary returns almost all its depth but needs to step up. Even with the ferocious pass rush from last year, they only managed 7 picks. The Aggies failed to grab a turnover in eight games.
The A&M scheduler has a sadistic streak. Playing in the SEC West is bad enough but adding Clemson, in Death Valley no less, to the schedule too? Another nine win season would be an achievement.
The offense was fantastic finishing 15th overall in yards and 19th in scoring. But, don’t forget that there was 74 points came in the win up all night overtime win over LSU. The O failed to get to 27 points in seven games losing four of them.
QB Kellen Mond has the capability of being next level good. But a 57% completion rate is a concern. The WRs are big with a bigger upside. In all, the top six WRs return. But, All-American Jace Sternberger's departure to the NFL leaves a huge void at tight end.
There’s a void in the running game too with All-SEC running back Trayveon Williams off to play with Cincinnati. Mond will help fill the void, he was second in rushing and sophomore Joshuan Corbin will get a chance to shine.
The OL was superb in opening holes for the run game but was a bit leaky in pass protection giving up a whopping 35 sacks. Four starters return so things should get better.
It was a similar story with the DL. It was amazing in rush defense (3rd overall in the country) but 12th in the SEC in pass defense. But there’s a lot of new faces this year. The top six tacklers, along with the vast majority of the sack production, has to be replaced.
The LBs lost their top two tacklers and the recruiting and depth is not up to speed with the rest of the defense.Defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, (5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss) is the only full-time returning starter among the front seven. But there is plenty of quality depth returning from last year. The drop off shouldn’t be that severe.
The secondary returns almost all its depth but needs to step up. Even with the ferocious pass rush from last year, they only managed 7 picks. The Aggies failed to grab a turnover in eight games.
The A&M scheduler has a sadistic streak. Playing in the SEC West is bad enough but adding Clemson, in Death Valley no less, to the schedule too? Another nine win season would be an achievement.
With Shurmur gone, the offense will rely on Ke'Shawn vaughn more Vanderbilt – Vegas Win Total - 5.0 – Vandy under Derek Mason has been frustrating to Commodore fans. They’ve been to a bowl game twice in the past three seasons; 17 wins, pretty good, it’s Vandy after all; and, most importantly there’s three straight wins against Tennessee. But, Mason has yet to record a winning season; and the defense, his supposed area of expertise. has regressed.
The offense needs to replace it linchpin. QB Kyle Shurmur. It’s a battle between Jr Deuce Wallace and Ball State transfer Riley Neal. Neither is Shurmur.
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn will help pick up the pieces. He exploded over the last half of the season(9.2 yards per carry and 7 TDs) before going down with a knee injury vs the Vols.
WR Kalija Lipscomb is back with his 87 catches as is NFL prospect Jared Pickney. He was one of only two TEs to have 50 catches and 15.0 YPC last year.
It’s one of the better set of skill position player for Vandy in a long time. But they won’t get too far unless the OL improves. It replaces three players and struggled to push the ball into the end zone.
Sure the defense improved in points allowed going from 31.3 to 26.6 but it finished in the bottom three in the SEC in run defense, total defense and third down stops. Overall it was the 2nd worst in the SEC.
There’s pieces to build around. All three LBs return but none are true playmakers at this stage. But keep your eye on Dimitri Moore, he’s a budding star on the inside.
Mason has trying to get bigger on the DL through recruiting and going the JUCO route. They need to get to the passer more too. Vandy only registered 3 or more sacks in a game twice.
The secondary has depth but no true playmakers either. The defense is going to struggle against the better teams this year.
Last year, Vandy beat up on the sisters of the poor and then won a win or gome home for the Holidays ve Tennessee. This year the sisters of the poor slate is better, Purdue and Northern Illinois are no slouches. With too many questions at QB and the defense Vandy is going to watch the bowl season on TV.
The offense needs to replace it linchpin. QB Kyle Shurmur. It’s a battle between Jr Deuce Wallace and Ball State transfer Riley Neal. Neither is Shurmur.
RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn will help pick up the pieces. He exploded over the last half of the season(9.2 yards per carry and 7 TDs) before going down with a knee injury vs the Vols.
WR Kalija Lipscomb is back with his 87 catches as is NFL prospect Jared Pickney. He was one of only two TEs to have 50 catches and 15.0 YPC last year.
It’s one of the better set of skill position player for Vandy in a long time. But they won’t get too far unless the OL improves. It replaces three players and struggled to push the ball into the end zone.
Sure the defense improved in points allowed going from 31.3 to 26.6 but it finished in the bottom three in the SEC in run defense, total defense and third down stops. Overall it was the 2nd worst in the SEC.
There’s pieces to build around. All three LBs return but none are true playmakers at this stage. But keep your eye on Dimitri Moore, he’s a budding star on the inside.
Mason has trying to get bigger on the DL through recruiting and going the JUCO route. They need to get to the passer more too. Vandy only registered 3 or more sacks in a game twice.
The secondary has depth but no true playmakers either. The defense is going to struggle against the better teams this year.
Last year, Vandy beat up on the sisters of the poor and then won a win or gome home for the Holidays ve Tennessee. This year the sisters of the poor slate is better, Purdue and Northern Illinois are no slouches. With too many questions at QB and the defense Vandy is going to watch the bowl season on TV.
